3 and Out: Big 12’s new threat, Watson emerges and this week’s college football ranking

Every weekend while watching college football something happens to either make our jaws drop to the floor, leave us scratching our head and/or screaming very vulgar profanity that even former Florida Marlins skipper Ozzie Guillen would be ashamed to hear.

I know that Duke fans were displaying all three behaviors as they witnessed the worse officiated last-play miracle orchestrated by the Miami referees, I mean Hurricanes. Don’t worry, Duke basketball season is looming and you will soon be able to exact revenge with a double-digit drumming in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Now, as Duke fans wipe their tears, let’s look at the two most intriguing storylines that unfolded this weekend. Also, I will look into my crystal ball and predict the top-four teams in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season.

TCU and Baylor, meet Pistol Pete

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are taking the name of their city to heart. The “other OSU” located in Stillwater, Oklahoma is quietly rising up in the ranking and making it known that the Big 12 is not a two-team race. OSU and Texas Tech decided it would be best to not play defense and just see who could score the most points in 60 minutes. Well, the Cowboys ended up winning 70-53. I am taking the under that the two basketball teams will score less combined when they meet on the hardwood. However, in all seriousness, Oklahoma State looks like a real threat. Head coach Mike Gundy has somehow out-smarted the great Urban Meyer and figured out how to utilize both of his quarterbacks in a very effective way. Mason Rudolph completed 21 of 35 passes for 285 yards, and J.W. Walsh completed 4 of 5 for 167 yards. Each also threw for two touchdowns apiece. How long will this work is yet to be seen. However, with the injury to Baylor quarterback Seth Russell, it has really opened up the opportunity for the Cowboys to play a huge part in who conquers the Big 12. OSU has TCU next week, Baylor Thanksgiving weekend and Bedlam against Oklahoma for their season finale. The waters may not be still anymore for the Cowboys as the frenzy picks up. Their real season starts now.

Deshaun Watson, reservation for six please

Look, it’s no secret that I’m a die hard Florida State football fan. Besides the University of Florida and the “L,” I mean the “U,” there is not a team I despise more than the Clemson Tigers. All year I have been waiting on the inevitable collapse of the Tigers. I have been patiently waiting for head coach Dabo Swinney to Clemson-up the whole season for Clemson. However, when you have arguably the best quarterback in college football making plays for you, it helps to delay the inevitable sometimes. Here’s the thing, this year is the year of the running back. Leonard Fournette or Derrick Henry are probably going to decide who wins the coveted award this weekend when their teams go head to head. However, Deshaun Watson, who threw for 383 yards and five touchdowns against N.C. State, and added 54 yards and a touchdown of his own on the ground, has a Heisman-type game of his own coming up against the Florida State Seminoles. The game is in Death Valley and Deshaun will have a chance to either Charlie Ward all over the Seminoles or straight up Charlie Whitehurst his team back down to college football reality.

Will the following four please rise

Tuesday night (7 p.m. ET) the much anticipated first College Football Playoff ranking will be announced by a bunch of old guys we call the college football committee. Although we sadly only have a month and some change left of college football, so much can happen between now and the end of the season. I used the Brian Emejuru advanced analytics when choosing my teams, which includes common sense and no brainer algorithms. Right now it is very difficult to put a team like Baylor, TCU or Iowa in the top four, because neither team has played an opponent who deserves to be on an ESPN 5 network. However, a team like Michigan State, who has two good wins (at Michigan and vs. Oregon), deserves more consideration. Although they needed another Big House miracle to beat the Wolverines.

Here are my four teams that would be in the college football playoff as of Nov. 3, 2015.

Ohio State

Clemson Tigers

LSU Tigers

Michigan State

Next Four Out:

TCU

Florida

Alabama

Notre Dame

Brian Emejuru is a College Football writer for Sideline Sports Report. He graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University. Go Rams Go! He also played four years of D1 college rugby at VCU. He's currently a physical education teacher at the elementary level.
Favorite teams:
NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers
NBA: Chicago Bulls
MLB: New York Mets
College Football: Florida State Seminoles
"Failing to plan is a plan to fail"